The UHS Boys’ Tennis team defeated the Beckman Patriots 11-7 in a non-league match at home on March 3.
The game consisted of three singles and three doubles matchups. One of the most dominant duos for the Trojans was sophomore Eliott Viaud and junior Reid Hashimoto, who went undefeated in their three rounds, winning 6-1, 6-3 and 6-0.
“Even if we are playing badly in that match, the key thing is being positive and getting your head back up and trying to shift the momentum back on our side,” Viaud said.
Along with Viaud and Hashimoto, doubles pair Tyler Chandler and Myles Nelson played exceptionally well to win all of their rounds, defeating their opponents 6-1, 6-2 and 6-3.
“To go along with the pressure, I just kept telling myself that I knew I was capable of winning and playing great tennis,” Chandler said. “I knew I had the skills to play some of the best teams in the country, and as long as I played my hardest, my tennis skills would come through.”
Similarly, the Trojans’ last duo, consisting of senior Langston Walter-Wu and freshman Gavin Yue, won all three of their rounds. This strong showing from their doubles team gave the Trojans a nine-point lead and provided significant encouragement to the singles team.
The Patriots’ singles team started off the match strong and capitalized on their momentum to win six rounds, cutting the Trojans’ lead to just three. However, junior captain JiHyuk Im won his first and last rounds 6-0 and 7-5, respectively, giving the Trojans the 11-7 win.
“I told myself that even though I might’ve lost, the team still depended on me winning my next matches, so I didn’t let the loss get to my head and kept playing,” Im said. “Essentially, the team helping me and also the thought of me needing to help the team allowed me to persevere.”
The UHS Boys’ Tennis team proved themselves to be a resilient and competitive program with this win, defeating a strong regional opponent.
After securing this win, the Trojans will continue competing with their second game of the season, scheduled for March 19 on the road against Irvine High School.
